Drama or Live Action Recommendation
- Thread starter Dragon-of-Rune
- Start date
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can anyone recommend a good mystery jdorama (with alittle romance maybe). something along the lines of galileo. im in the mood for some mystery/suspense crime jdorama. thanks in advance.
Thinking about your request, anbu, it's really hard for me to come up with mysteries with any romance (as opposed to just straight-up suspense, or cop-shows). Galileo (as you've already seen) would probably be at the top of my list. Jikou Keisatsu & Meitantei no Okite are enjoyable, although they are both more comedy than suspense. I've recently DL'd a few series that feature unconventional female detectives (Kiina, Keizoku, & Psychometrer Eiji), though I haven't watched any of them yet so I can't say if they're any good (though I do have my fingers crossed). Maybe one of their synopses will catch your eye... I've also been meaning to watch the suspense/mysteries A Million Stars Fall from the Sky and Sleeping Forest-- mainly for Kimura honestly, but I've heard they're good besides.
QUOTE (Hiroyuki @ Jul 11 2009, 11:26 PM)I just started watching Jikou Keisatsu (Statute of Limitations Police) and it's the best series I've seen in ages! It's a comedy detective series with gentle humour and a strong emphasis on solving mysteries.Oh, this is one of my favorites! My friend & I busted up laughing sooo many times watching this one. I love that, besides the general plot humor (including both wordplay and some completely absurd situational comedy), there's usually some other weirdness onscreen-- like subtle visual gags in the background-- so that you can watch it multiple times and find new things to appreciate. There is a sequel series, but once you know what to expect some of the impact is lost (not to mention, I think the subs widely available for series 2 are Chinese bootleg rips and therefore not the greatest).
Anyway, as for me, last week I finished Last Scandal-- and then learned that the lead actress committed suicide shortly after the drama (!). Which made me feel very strange about what I'd just seen (& enjoyed).
I'm also about 2/3rds of the way through Romance, which is basically "boy meets girl and then finds out she's his new teacher." The plot isn't as scandalous as it might seem (to me, at least) because in Korea high school covers up to age 19-20, apparently (I've seen this in other dramas too, such as the similarly-themed Hello My Teacher). So while technically our hero is a minor in Korea (he's 19-1/2), he would be considered an adult in many other cultures (including my own). But it doesn't really matter, as this "Romance" is actually pretty chaste (it is a K-drama, after all). What first drew me to this one is the heroine, played by Kim Ha Neul. When I saw her costar was Kim Jae Won, though, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get into this because I really disliked him in 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant. But after one ep of this, I totally forgot his (awful, nasty) character in that movie. So far it's pretty fun, a nice mix of romance, drama & comedy. At ep10 it's starting to take a more serious dramatic turn, but that seems pretty common with the last third of K-dramas so I expect it to still end on a happy note.
And I'm still plugging along on The Man Who Can't Get Married (see its thread for my happy comments) as well as Mr. Brain & Meitantei no Okite (though I'm paused on ep06 on the latter 2 because my drama-watching partner in crime is going to be out of town for the next 3 weeks). As far as mysteries go, I wish I could recommend Mr. Brain but honestly, some of the mysteries (& their solutions) are just... out there. After ep03 (the solution to which my friend called instantly, to which I said, "But that's waaaay too obvious, no detective would be stupid enough to overlook that if it were true"-- guess who was right?) my friend said, "Thank god Kimura-kun is in this!" (i.e. because otherwise it would've been a waste of an hour). Too bad, as I had high hopes for this. It's still entertaining, but nothing I can really rave about. Meitantei no Okite, on the other hand, is as amusing as ever, perhaps because it's meant to be ridiculous.
QUOTE (Hiroyuki @ Jul 11 2009, 11:26 PM)I just started watching Jikou Keisatsu (Statute of Limitations Police) and it's the best series I've seen in ages! It's a comedy detective series with gentle humour and a strong emphasis on solving mysteries.Oh, this is one of my favorites! My friend & I busted up laughing sooo many times watching this one. I love that, besides the general plot humor (including both wordplay and some completely absurd situational comedy), there's usually some other weirdness onscreen-- like subtle visual gags in the background-- so that you can watch it multiple times and find new things to appreciate. There is a sequel series, but once you know what to expect some of the impact is lost (not to mention, I think the subs widely available for series 2 are Chinese bootleg rips and therefore not the greatest).
Anyway, as for me, last week I finished Last Scandal-- and then learned that the lead actress committed suicide shortly after the drama (!). Which made me feel very strange about what I'd just seen (& enjoyed).
I'm also about 2/3rds of the way through Romance, which is basically "boy meets girl and then finds out she's his new teacher." The plot isn't as scandalous as it might seem (to me, at least) because in Korea high school covers up to age 19-20, apparently (I've seen this in other dramas too, such as the similarly-themed Hello My Teacher). So while technically our hero is a minor in Korea (he's 19-1/2), he would be considered an adult in many other cultures (including my own). But it doesn't really matter, as this "Romance" is actually pretty chaste (it is a K-drama, after all). What first drew me to this one is the heroine, played by Kim Ha Neul. When I saw her costar was Kim Jae Won, though, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get into this because I really disliked him in 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant. But after one ep of this, I totally forgot his (awful, nasty) character in that movie. So far it's pretty fun, a nice mix of romance, drama & comedy. At ep10 it's starting to take a more serious dramatic turn, but that seems pretty common with the last third of K-dramas so I expect it to still end on a happy note.
And I'm still plugging along on The Man Who Can't Get Married (see its thread for my happy comments) as well as Mr. Brain & Meitantei no Okite (though I'm paused on ep06 on the latter 2 because my drama-watching partner in crime is going to be out of town for the next 3 weeks). As far as mysteries go, I wish I could recommend Mr. Brain but honestly, some of the mysteries (& their solutions) are just... out there. After ep03 (the solution to which my friend called instantly, to which I said, "But that's waaaay too obvious, no detective would be stupid enough to overlook that if it were true"-- guess who was right?) my friend said, "Thank god Kimura-kun is in this!" (i.e. because otherwise it would've been a waste of an hour). Too bad, as I had high hopes for this. It's still entertaining, but nothing I can really rave about. Meitantei no Okite, on the other hand, is as amusing as ever, perhaps because it's meant to be ridiculous.
thanks poonk and snorky2k for the recommendation. i will check it out.
and yeah poonk, when i did my research when i was watching the last scandal, i was sad to find out that the main actress commited suicide. its such a shame. also they blame those netizens too, thats what i heard. if you like the last scandal, you should watch "star's lover" and "that fool". the theme is similar. and "on air" too.
also i recommend the kdrama i am sam (i am your teacher), i heard its based on an anime/manga.
also if you like the actress in hello my teacher, try watching some light drama, called thank you. its not that good, but its worth a look. i like it. i was also gonna watch hello my teacher but im gonna put it on hold since im still watching city hall, then shining inheritance (i heard alot of good things about this kdrama and the ratings are off the chart i hear).
but before i watch any kdrama, im gonna watch a kmovie called my love. it looks good when i was watching the musice video plus my idol lee yeon hee (http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Yeon_Hee) is on it. also that guy from alone in love is there too. hehehe.
and yeah poonk, when i did my research when i was watching the last scandal, i was sad to find out that the main actress commited suicide. its such a shame. also they blame those netizens too, thats what i heard. if you like the last scandal, you should watch "star's lover" and "that fool". the theme is similar. and "on air" too.
also i recommend the kdrama i am sam (i am your teacher), i heard its based on an anime/manga.
also if you like the actress in hello my teacher, try watching some light drama, called thank you. its not that good, but its worth a look. i like it. i was also gonna watch hello my teacher but im gonna put it on hold since im still watching city hall, then shining inheritance (i heard alot of good things about this kdrama and the ratings are off the chart i hear).
but before i watch any kdrama, im gonna watch a kmovie called my love. it looks good when i was watching the musice video plus my idol lee yeon hee (http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Lee_Yeon_Hee) is on it. also that guy from alone in love is there too. hehehe.
any kdrama fans whos gonna watch gi joe the movie??? i think im gonna watch it and see how that guy who plays storm shadow does. he is the same actor who plays the lead in All In kdrama. i saw the trailer today and he was kinda cool. lol.
any one a fan of rain? i heard he's gonna have a big role in a new hollywood movie called ninja assassins. check wiki. the wachowski bros are invovle (matrix). i was surpise!
QUOTE (anbu-black-ops @ Jul 31 2009, 01:09 AM)any one a fan of rain? i heard he's gonna have a big role in a new hollywood movie called ninja assassins. check wiki. the wachowski bros are invovle (matrix). i was surpise!
Yeah, I heard about this too late last year and promptly forgot about it(!). I read an interview Rain did with Giant Robot magazine and it mentioned him training for the role. I can't say I've heard a lot about the film since, although I don't really follow American film too much (okay, not at all). Is he starring in it? Then I'd definitely like to check it out (if I could find someone to go with me, which is unfortunately not a given
). If he's just doing a side role-- ehh, probably not (same reason I didn't see Speed Racer just because he had a role in it also).
Yeah, I heard about this too late last year and promptly forgot about it(!). I read an interview Rain did with Giant Robot magazine and it mentioned him training for the role. I can't say I've heard a lot about the film since, although I don't really follow American film too much (okay, not at all). Is he starring in it? Then I'd definitely like to check it out (if I could find someone to go with me, which is unfortunately not a given
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Assassin
what surprise me is that he is in the starring role of a hollywood movie. and he doesnt even know martial arts. he is following the steps of that chick who stars in blood the last vampire. but atleast this one is a big budget fim.
i heard also that rain will work with that chick who played saya in blood the last vampire in a new kdrama...
i dont know what to think though. hahahahaha. but it might be worth a look. just for the wachoski brothers involvement.
also beck the anime is gonna be turned into a live action movie next year. just found out today. cool!!!
what surprise me is that he is in the starring role of a hollywood movie. and he doesnt even know martial arts. he is following the steps of that chick who stars in blood the last vampire. but atleast this one is a big budget fim.
i heard also that rain will work with that chick who played saya in blood the last vampire in a new kdrama...
i dont know what to think though. hahahahaha. but it might be worth a look. just for the wachoski brothers involvement.
also beck the anime is gonna be turned into a live action movie next year. just found out today. cool!!!
Okay, I've watched the Ninja Assassin preview at Topless Robot (love that site) and am pretty much sold. Even though I really don't care much for action movies (at all), Rain with long(-ish) hair is too much for me to resist.
I guess I'll have to be the swooning-fangirl-type at the movie theater, though since I'm in Wisconsin I suppose I may probably be the only one who has a clue who the man is... hell, I may be the only one in the theater period if it's a box office dud.
Anyway, what I've been up to lately...
Hakan no Hinkaku (Hakan's Dignity): About a practically-superhuman temp worker. I really like Shinohara Ryoko (I dunno, there's just something about her that attracts me) so it wasn't hard for me to decide to DL this. It was fairly amusing-- not rave-worthy, but not "I-can't-believe-I-wasted-my-time-on-this-dreck" either. It has some pretty funny moments but honestly I was a little disappointed at the ending, though it's my own darn fault for wanting it to buck the rules of Drama-land: i.e. "The couple that starts out arguing/fighting the most will end up being (sorta) romantically involved at the end." I seriously was rooting for her kindly manager, Satonaka, to speak up and confess already, but that aspect of the drama didn't go the way I (unrealistically) wanted it to. My bad, y'know? Anyway, it's not like it ruins the series though since it wasn't really focusing on that so much in the first place.
And a few movies I watched last week:
Crows ZERO 2: While I don't really like pointlessly violent/gory movies, the violence in this film, though I wouldn't show it to kids, is waaay too comical for me (& I'd guess most adults) to take seriously. It's like a live-action Roadrunner cartoon-- all of these characters should be either permanently disabled or plain DEAD by now, based on the blows they are taking. While I know Genji is the main character, for me Oguri Shun's roles are hit-'n'-miss: Sometimes I really like him (see: Gokusen, Hana Yori Dango, Robocon, & Waters) and sometimes I don't so much (usually when he's playing a "too-cool" character, as in Hana-Kimi ). So when I watched this (& the first Crows film) I was much more charmed by Yamada Takayuki as Sanizawa. It could be because I will always think of him fondly as the lead in the Water Boys drama but honestly his character is more well-rounded (at least compared to the rest of the frankly one-dimensional characters found herein). When I watched the first film I noticed how Serizawa seemed to not put too much weight on "ruling" Sakuran HS; he seems honestly more concerned about the health issues of his right-hand man, Tokio.* And he at least has some comedic moments in the films (such as the "bowling" scene in the first, and the "dart" scene in the second films). Well, anyway, I'm not sure why I like these films despite myself; could I be that I just like seeing (mostly-)attractive young men beat the snot out of one another? I'd rather not explore that possibility... NEXT!
Survive Style 5+: A bit older (2004), but definitely worth seeking out. I think this is one of my new favorite movies, as I am going to make my friends watch it.
I'm really not sure how to explain the plot-- it's like 5 seemingly-unrelated stories that start intersecting one another and the ending is just... unexpected (I'll leave it at that so as not to spoil it). But the stories themselves are funny/weird/surreal/charming. I can't decide what my favorite part is-- the man who keeps trying (?) to kill his wife; the ad exec & her imaginations; the hypnotized salaryman; or the goofy burglars ("You smell good, J." *LOL*). Okay, it's probably the burglars, since thinking of their scenes (and the accompanying techno music/fake teeth) has made me snicker to myself in the past week, just thinking about it...
*And I'm pretty sure it's not because I'm watching this through yaoi-goggles, though wow, this series is ripe for it...
Anyway, what I've been up to lately...
Hakan no Hinkaku (Hakan's Dignity): About a practically-superhuman temp worker. I really like Shinohara Ryoko (I dunno, there's just something about her that attracts me) so it wasn't hard for me to decide to DL this. It was fairly amusing-- not rave-worthy, but not "I-can't-believe-I-wasted-my-time-on-this-dreck" either. It has some pretty funny moments but honestly I was a little disappointed at the ending, though it's my own darn fault for wanting it to buck the rules of Drama-land: i.e. "The couple that starts out arguing/fighting the most will end up being (sorta) romantically involved at the end." I seriously was rooting for her kindly manager, Satonaka, to speak up and confess already, but that aspect of the drama didn't go the way I (unrealistically) wanted it to. My bad, y'know? Anyway, it's not like it ruins the series though since it wasn't really focusing on that so much in the first place.
And a few movies I watched last week:
Crows ZERO 2: While I don't really like pointlessly violent/gory movies, the violence in this film, though I wouldn't show it to kids, is waaay too comical for me (& I'd guess most adults) to take seriously. It's like a live-action Roadrunner cartoon-- all of these characters should be either permanently disabled or plain DEAD by now, based on the blows they are taking. While I know Genji is the main character, for me Oguri Shun's roles are hit-'n'-miss: Sometimes I really like him (see: Gokusen, Hana Yori Dango, Robocon, & Waters) and sometimes I don't so much (usually when he's playing a "too-cool" character, as in Hana-Kimi ). So when I watched this (& the first Crows film) I was much more charmed by Yamada Takayuki as Sanizawa. It could be because I will always think of him fondly as the lead in the Water Boys drama but honestly his character is more well-rounded (at least compared to the rest of the frankly one-dimensional characters found herein). When I watched the first film I noticed how Serizawa seemed to not put too much weight on "ruling" Sakuran HS; he seems honestly more concerned about the health issues of his right-hand man, Tokio.* And he at least has some comedic moments in the films (such as the "bowling" scene in the first, and the "dart" scene in the second films). Well, anyway, I'm not sure why I like these films despite myself; could I be that I just like seeing (mostly-)attractive young men beat the snot out of one another? I'd rather not explore that possibility... NEXT!
Survive Style 5+: A bit older (2004), but definitely worth seeking out. I think this is one of my new favorite movies, as I am going to make my friends watch it.
*And I'm pretty sure it's not because I'm watching this through yaoi-goggles, though wow, this series is ripe for it...
QUOTE (khael @ Jul 12 2009, 05:12 AM)Has anybody ever seen the Kamen Rider Kabuto Live Movie? Was it any good? [As well as the series for that matter] I was planning to watch it since it was the only recent Kamen Rider I've seen without cards. Plus the rider kick just returned.
It's good to see another tokusatsu fan here since most anime forums I have gone to, don't know anything about toku. They just know that Power Rangers....
I'm just still starting out on KR Kabuto, currently on episode 10, but many of my friends said that it's good.
How about the Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs Daishocker movie? Have you read reviews about it?
I have read one but I guess that I can't link to it.
It's good to see another tokusatsu fan here since most anime forums I have gone to, don't know anything about toku. They just know that Power Rangers....
I'm just still starting out on KR Kabuto, currently on episode 10, but many of my friends said that it's good.
How about the Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs Daishocker movie? Have you read reviews about it?
I have read one but I guess that I can't link to it.
i was watching a kdrama, when i stumble about this actor who led me to this movie. the actors name is jang dong gun and the movie is called a warrior's way
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp6tDUNwrtQ
it looks interesting. it's a new movie. looks like alot og korean actors are getting active in hollywood lately.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp6tDUNwrtQ
it looks interesting. it's a new movie. looks like alot og korean actors are getting active in hollywood lately.
I have to make a point to drop in here and highly recommend Manhattan Love Story. It's SARS-Fansubs' latest release, finally made available through torrenting last week and OMG-totally-laugh-out-loud funny! I'm not sure what I was expecting-- I guess more of a traditional, "slice-of-life" cafe-setting-type series-- but this is so quirky and funny, the funnest series I've seen in quite a while. I love the ensemble cast, and Matsuoka Masahiro (boy, has he grown up since Psychometrer Eiji) is unexpectedly hilarious as Tenchou ("call me Master!"
), who is outwardly very reserved as he grinds & brews the coffee, but inwardly takes an intense interest in the intersecting lives/loves of his customers; his running (internal) commentary about the goings-on is what makes the series really shine. I'm adding this one to my "Comedy Recommendations" list.
Also finished in the last 2 weeks:
Psychometrer Eiji:
About a teenage boy (Matsuoka Masahiro again) whose touch "reads" an item and gives him visions of whomever handled the item previously, and the detective who enlists him to help her solve cases. Though it's dated (1997) in video quality, special effects, fashion, etc., it's still a much-needed break from the soapier K-dramas I finished around the same time (The Man Who Can't Get Married & City Hall). While a few of the episodes (such as the possessed twins & the whole convoluted "Seven Days" case ) stretched the very generous suspension of belief I was allowing this show, overall I was able to just sit back and be entertained. I must admit, though, it was surprisingly grislier than I thought it'd be. People get stabbed, blown up, cut in half, etc. The full gamut.
Three Dads, One Mom:
Wherein 3 friends (reluctantly) donate sperm to help their 4th friend's wife conceive. Then, when he dies during her pregnancy, they start to feel responsible for her & the impending baby. Only there's a hitch (naturally): She doesn't know that there were "donors" involved in the lab-fertilized egg. The 3 "Uncles" (businessman, cop, artist) are basically the stars of the show and are pretty fun to watch. Thankfully it doesn't rely too much on the "guys are inherently inept at caring for babies" trope (which is lame), nor does it focus too heavily on "cute-kid" antics or overuse the baby-voiceover (a la Look Who's Talking). Instead it's a pretty enjoyable romp (and that's coming from someone who does not tend to "awwww" over babies, etc.). My only minor complaint is it's sorta light on the romance (though let's face it, all the guys are viable options, one more than the others of course).
And of course, last but not least, Shining Inheritance-- though I already commented in that specific thread.
I'm also just starting Love Generation (KimuTaku-Love yay) and eyeing Teioh and Koishite Akuma (yes, vampire boy *eyerolls at herself*) while waiting for someone to sub Otomen and Kochikame.
Also finished in the last 2 weeks:
Psychometrer Eiji:
About a teenage boy (Matsuoka Masahiro again) whose touch "reads" an item and gives him visions of whomever handled the item previously, and the detective who enlists him to help her solve cases. Though it's dated (1997) in video quality, special effects, fashion, etc., it's still a much-needed break from the soapier K-dramas I finished around the same time (The Man Who Can't Get Married & City Hall). While a few of the episodes (such as the possessed twins & the whole convoluted "Seven Days" case ) stretched the very generous suspension of belief I was allowing this show, overall I was able to just sit back and be entertained. I must admit, though, it was surprisingly grislier than I thought it'd be. People get stabbed, blown up, cut in half, etc. The full gamut.
Three Dads, One Mom:
Wherein 3 friends (reluctantly) donate sperm to help their 4th friend's wife conceive. Then, when he dies during her pregnancy, they start to feel responsible for her & the impending baby. Only there's a hitch (naturally): She doesn't know that there were "donors" involved in the lab-fertilized egg. The 3 "Uncles" (businessman, cop, artist) are basically the stars of the show and are pretty fun to watch. Thankfully it doesn't rely too much on the "guys are inherently inept at caring for babies" trope (which is lame), nor does it focus too heavily on "cute-kid" antics or overuse the baby-voiceover (a la Look Who's Talking). Instead it's a pretty enjoyable romp (and that's coming from someone who does not tend to "awwww" over babies, etc.). My only minor complaint is it's sorta light on the romance (though let's face it, all the guys are viable options, one more than the others of course).
And of course, last but not least, Shining Inheritance-- though I already commented in that specific thread.
I'm also just starting Love Generation (KimuTaku-Love yay) and eyeing Teioh and Koishite Akuma (yes, vampire boy *eyerolls at herself*) while waiting for someone to sub Otomen and Kochikame.
I found the two part dorama Chance! starring Maki Horikita really enjoyable. It's a feelgood story about a girl, Tamaki Kawamura, who scrapes into getting a job with a tour operator manning the phones only to be catapulted to the rank of a high flyer by a series of pleasantly plausible chance events, the climactic one being when she collides with real high flyer Saori Tamaki and they pick up each other's phone in error. These are company phones, which all look identical, so when it rings and she gets a message from the CEO addressing her as Tamaki-kun, Tamaki doesn't realise there has been a mistake and diligently tries to accomplish the mission he gives her.
I'm sure girls would like this story too, since not only is Tamaki drop dead gorgeous but the two men in her life—her oniisan and a senpai figure—are pretty cool too, the senpai is a dashing tour guide who is also full of sage pieces of wisdom in his quieter moments, whilst her brother is a really sweet biker who likes to tease her by making incredibly cute bentos for her which attract embarrassing amounts of attention whenever she opens them. Just watching the first scene, where her brother is opening her job confirmation/rejection letters for her because she can't bare to look at them herself, totally sold me on downloading the whole thing, it was just handled so well and naturalistically, you really felt that "kindly big brother" vibe emanating from him.
Although focussing mainly on the dramatic plot, the story has undercurrents of romance and starcrossed love which leave you with a sort of yearning feeling, thinking "if only...."
Chance! has been fansubbed really nicely by TimeLesSub.
I'm sure girls would like this story too, since not only is Tamaki drop dead gorgeous but the two men in her life—her oniisan and a senpai figure—are pretty cool too, the senpai is a dashing tour guide who is also full of sage pieces of wisdom in his quieter moments, whilst her brother is a really sweet biker who likes to tease her by making incredibly cute bentos for her which attract embarrassing amounts of attention whenever she opens them. Just watching the first scene, where her brother is opening her job confirmation/rejection letters for her because she can't bare to look at them herself, totally sold me on downloading the whole thing, it was just handled so well and naturalistically, you really felt that "kindly big brother" vibe emanating from him.
Although focussing mainly on the dramatic plot, the story has undercurrents of romance and starcrossed love which leave you with a sort of yearning feeling, thinking "if only...."
Chance! has been fansubbed really nicely by TimeLesSub.
Though I've basically taken almost a full month off from dramas (trust me, I really, really needed a break and I ended up listening almost exclusively to Anime World Order & Best Movie Ever podcasts this entire past month instead-- both of which I highly recommend, btw), I have recently started watching 2 of the new fall dramas:
Ohitorisama: Akiyama Satomi, a 33-year old teacher at a girls' school, is given the task of mentoring her school's new substitute teacher, the 23-year old Kamisaka Shinichi. He seems pretty unreliable at first but over the course of the drama I'm sure he will prove himself worthy of Akiyama's respect as a fellow teacher and possibly (okay, probably) even her affection.
So part of me thinks it's a bit cliched so far (2 eps. in)-- Kamisaka trying to live up to Akiyama's ideal of a "respectable man" while simultaneously dissolving away her thick defensive shell with every wide-eyed smile; both characters thrust together into standard romantic-comedy scenarios (drinking together at a ramen stand, Kamisaka staying over at Akiyama's place, doing quasi-domestic activities as a result, etc.) and yet emphatically denying any possibility of a relationship to anyone who mentions it. Anyone who's watched more than a few romance dramas will recognize these scenes as they're very standard romantic-comedy territory. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying it because, well: A.) I like romantic comedies and I'm not sick of the cliches (not yet, at least), and B.) Teppei is pretty adorable, though he still looks more like a HS boy than a teacher to me.
What I could do without, though, is the subplot with the vice principal/head teacher plotting to oust the principal (played by the awesome Maya Miki). It's very GTO/Gokusen/etc. and I don't think the series needs it and it just kinda interrupts the romance/teaching main focus.
And then there's Tokyo DOGS: Straight-laced cop Takakura (Oguri Shun) is paired up with casual, goofy cop Maruo (Mizushima Hiro) to protect an amnesia-striken girl (the suicidal chick from Love Shuffle) who may be an important witness to the case they're working. I'm really not sure I'm gonna continue with this one. Shun is pretty wooden (most of the time) as the straight man, but Hiro is totally hamming it up as "the funny one." The problem is, his behavior, which works so well in comedies (such as Hana-Kimi) seems so out-of-place in a mostly-serious police drama. Come to think of it, I had the same issues with his bumbling detective character in Mr. Brain too. Maybe Hiro should just avoid the cop roles altogether. Well, anyway, at least he looks pretty good even when playing "scruffy" (goatee, tank top/flannel & stylishly tattered bluejeans). That's about all I can say for the first episode. I'll give it a few more before I decided if I'll drop it or not.
Ohitorisama: Akiyama Satomi, a 33-year old teacher at a girls' school, is given the task of mentoring her school's new substitute teacher, the 23-year old Kamisaka Shinichi. He seems pretty unreliable at first but over the course of the drama I'm sure he will prove himself worthy of Akiyama's respect as a fellow teacher and possibly (okay, probably) even her affection.
So part of me thinks it's a bit cliched so far (2 eps. in)-- Kamisaka trying to live up to Akiyama's ideal of a "respectable man" while simultaneously dissolving away her thick defensive shell with every wide-eyed smile; both characters thrust together into standard romantic-comedy scenarios (drinking together at a ramen stand, Kamisaka staying over at Akiyama's place, doing quasi-domestic activities as a result, etc.) and yet emphatically denying any possibility of a relationship to anyone who mentions it. Anyone who's watched more than a few romance dramas will recognize these scenes as they're very standard romantic-comedy territory. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying it because, well: A.) I like romantic comedies and I'm not sick of the cliches (not yet, at least), and B.) Teppei is pretty adorable, though he still looks more like a HS boy than a teacher to me.
What I could do without, though, is the subplot with the vice principal/head teacher plotting to oust the principal (played by the awesome Maya Miki). It's very GTO/Gokusen/etc. and I don't think the series needs it and it just kinda interrupts the romance/teaching main focus.
And then there's Tokyo DOGS: Straight-laced cop Takakura (Oguri Shun) is paired up with casual, goofy cop Maruo (Mizushima Hiro) to protect an amnesia-striken girl (the suicidal chick from Love Shuffle) who may be an important witness to the case they're working. I'm really not sure I'm gonna continue with this one. Shun is pretty wooden (most of the time) as the straight man, but Hiro is totally hamming it up as "the funny one." The problem is, his behavior, which works so well in comedies (such as Hana-Kimi) seems so out-of-place in a mostly-serious police drama. Come to think of it, I had the same issues with his bumbling detective character in Mr. Brain too. Maybe Hiro should just avoid the cop roles altogether. Well, anyway, at least he looks pretty good even when playing "scruffy" (goatee, tank top/flannel & stylishly tattered bluejeans). That's about all I can say for the first episode. I'll give it a few more before I decided if I'll drop it or not.
Witch Yoo Hee is one you can try.
I watched a little of it a few years back, it was ok but i didnt like it much. It does fit your requirements though.
This should go in the Drama or Live Action recomendtion thread. Can a mod please move this.
lab's note: done.
I watched a little of it a few years back, it was ok but i didnt like it much. It does fit your requirements though.
This should go in the Drama or Live Action recomendtion thread. Can a mod please move this.
lab's note: done.
QUOTE (gdpetti @ Nov 11 2012, 8:28 PM)Thanks for the link NecroRyu.you're welcome ;p a necrobump for another film (not Ghibli): Majo no takkyūbin
Title: Kiki's Delivery Service
Japanese: 魔女の宅急便
Theatrical release date: 1/3/2014 (subbed in 1/12/2014)
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Official website: http://www.majotaku.jp/
Synopsis: A young girl named Kiki (Fuka Koshiba) must leave her home for a year to begin training in witchcraft. She leaves on her broom, but first says goodbye to her friends and family. Kiki then begins her new life with her trusted cat Jiji.
Title: Kiki's Delivery Service
Japanese: 魔女の宅急便
Theatrical release date: 1/3/2014 (subbed in 1/12/2014)
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Official website: http://www.majotaku.jp/
Synopsis: A young girl named Kiki (Fuka Koshiba) must leave her home for a year to begin training in witchcraft. She leaves on her broom, but first says goodbye to her friends and family. Kiki then begins her new life with her trusted cat Jiji.
